Figs. 513 and 514 represent respectively a side elevation and an end view of a machine made by M. Bowie Bale and C,o., for the disintegration of cork waste. The main body of the mill is made of cast iron, and is divided into halves. In the centre of the mill is a cast steel disc, serrated at its peri phery after the manner of a file, and mounted on a steel spindle, which revolves in suit able bearings of phosphor-bronze. The interior of the mill, in which the serrated disc revolves, is fitted with a oast-steel periphery, and the slightest possible clearance is given, to the revolving disc. The waste cork to be disintegrated is placed in a hopper, and forced in a solid masa through a narrow opening, and ag,ainst the revolving disc, which operates upon it with the action of a file. When the powder attains the required degree of fineness, it is allowed to pass through adjustable screens or sieves, placed either in the bottom periphery, or in the sides of the mill.
The references indicate :—A, top half of mill ; B, bottom half ; 0, fluted rollers for feeding in the cork waste, worked either by hand or by steam ; D, driving pulley ; E, pulley used when feeding by steam ; F, hand wheel for feeding by hand ; G, feeding hopper. The machine is said to dis integrate about 10 tons of cork before the-file-plate needs sharpening, which operation is performed by a bevelled revolving emery wheel.
Further remarks on the disintegration of cork for the purpose of floor-cloth manufacture will be found under Floor-cloth.
The principal application of cork is for stoppering bottles, after being turned by the machinery just described ; but it is also largely consumed in making life-boats and belts ; in thin sections, for shoe-soles and hat-linings ; for models and artificial limbs ; and it is burnt to produce Spanish black. In France, it has been successfully applied ELS an insulator for boilers, tubes, itc., and for preserving the metal. Cork dust may be used in the toilette, as a substitute for rice and wood powders. Horse collars stuffed with cork have been proved very superior, the substance being light, elastic, and a non-conductor of heat. " Virgin " cork is now largely employed in all kinds of rustic work. The produce of the second harvest is much used for making fishing floats, being too coarse for better purposes. The waste from cork cutting, which generally amounts to a third, is applied to filling cushions and horse-collars ; as a stuffing for mattresses, it is the best substance in the world, being light and damp-proof, and forming a raft in case of floods or accidents at sea. It forms an admir
able lining for ice-houses ; and is largely consumed in the manufacture of cork carpets, kamptulicon, and linoleum (see Floor-cloth.) In cork factories, it is often utilized as fuel. A novel application of waste cork in France is for the manufacture of paste-board: the ground cork is thoroughly incorporated with paper pulp, by means of mixing machines and heavy hollinder presses ; the water is then expressed, and the material is dried.
It is certain that the culture and use of cork were familiar to the ancient Greeks and Romans, though it was not then so largely employed as a stopper. In this shape, it appears to have been gene rally introduced towards the end of the sixteenth century, since which time the industry has not ceased to grow in importance. Its most important seats are San Felice de Guixois, Palafurgell, Palajos, Darnius, and Junquera. The province of Gironde produces annually about 12,500 tons of cork, and imports an additional 3000 tons, all of which is made into bottle corks, the manufacture employing about 8000 persons. In the United States, there are about sixty cork manufactories, cutting corks to the value of about 450,000/. annually. The large cork works at Stockholm employs five cylindrical cutting-machines, with their complement of preparatory appliances, consuming about 16,000 bales of cork, and turning out about 20 million corks yearly, with the assistance of manual labour to the amount of ten women and children ; for dealing with the waste cuttings, an additional fifteen persons are employed, and, for sorting the corks, a further thirteen ; but this latter number will be reduced by the introduction of a machine for sorting them according to size, leaving only the qualities to be separated by hand. The total number of employe's is 45, representing the work of 150 when cutting by hand.
America, in 1877, was still importing cork bark at the rate of 120,0001. a year. France imported 75,736 cwt. of crude cork in 1865. Italy consumes most of her production at home ; in 1875, the exports were about 575 ewt., valued at 663/., and, in 1876, 982 ewt., valued at 1103/. Portugal is the largest expo' ter ; in 1876, the figures reached 14,542 tons of rough cork, value 115,110/., and 925 tons of manufactured cork, value 32,888/. The imports of cork into the "United Kingdom, in 1878, were as follows :—